Flames of Change
by Jillybean89
Summary: In the darkest hours, when the flame of light flickers and threatens to die… Who will step forth to rekindle the flame? Who will come forward and resurrect hope from the brink of insanity? Who will be there to save the savior? (Rating will change)
1. Everything's Different

**In the darkest hours, when the flame of light flickers and threatens to die… Who will step forth to rekindle the flame? Who will come forward and resurrect hope from the brink of insanity? Who will be there to save the savior?**

Post OotP. Later slash. Possible/probable Mpreg(Much later in the story, I think.) Dark themes… Bad Latin. Probable OOC-ness. Future pairings include DM/HP, FW/GW(Mostly suggested), HG/SS, GW/NL,suggested/discussed RL/SB. 

Please review. I welcome and beg for suggestions and corrections, but flamers risk being roasted themselves. Some of my information may be incorrect or inaccurate, but lets face it. We're not perfect, right?

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Pale gray eyes swept critically over the interior of the train compartment. Nimble fingers that had, over the summer, become even more slender and skilled with age and maturity tapped absently on a black-clad knee. The sixteen-year-old seemed quite distracted, which was unusual for he was usually quite focused and alert. As again Draco Malfoy's pale eyes swept across the empty compartment, he caught a flash of vivid red just outside the window. His attention sluggishly slid to the crowd outside the Hogwarts Express. So pleased was he to have an animate object to observe, he didn't even remark to himself any snide comments about the red-headed boy who stood talking animatedly to one Harry Potter. Harry, however, looked rather subdued. He noted that both boys had grown over the summer, although Harry's previously too-thin frame had filled out quite a bit since last he'd seen the-boy-who-lived. The bushy-haired muggle-born was nowhere in sight, but Draco suspected she was lurking somewhere nearby.

Harry stood, nodding absently while his friend talked at him without missing a beat. His face had matured some, losing some of the baby roundness of childhood, and his emerald eyes had become more intense, almost scalding as they peered from beneath unruly locks of black. It had been an entire summer since the battle at the ministry of magic, where Harry's godfather and one of the few links to his departed parents had fallen at the hands of his own cousin. It had been an entire summer since Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, had been imprisoned. Draco had stood dutifully at his mothers side, trying to comprehend a life without the iron-strong influence of his father. Narcissa, although she had grieved both openly and privately, had shed not a single tear for her lost husband.

Draco sighed heavily, noting dismally that the young wizards he'd been staring at had disappeared from his field of vision. He'd been spacing out again. His mind had begun to wander like that more and more. It would be most inconvenient later on, he knew, but the hollowness he felt didn't have a spare shred of care. A boredom, almost a numbness, had been spreading through him since the end of the previous term.

Draco's attention was once again refocused as the door to his compartment slid open and a dark-haired boy slipped quickly in, not pausing to look at Draco as he turned to peer out a crack in the door. With a sigh, the black-haired wizard turned to fix Draco with a searing emerald gaze. Tension instantly sang through both their bodies as they stood stock still, staring at each other. Draco's fingertips tingled as he suddenly froze in his subconscious tapping.

"Malfoy." The taller boy said shortly, his voice lower than Draco recalled it being before.

"Potter." Draco replied quietly. A long silence stretched between them. "Well, are you going to stare at me like a boob or sit down?"

Harry looked slightly taken aback by the comment. As Draco's gaze slid back to the window, he sat cautiously across from the Slytherin boy. Neither of them spoke as the train pulled away from the station. It wasn't until long after the trolley-witch had come and gone that they even dared to look at each other. Draco glanced at Harry, who glanced at Draco, who averted his gaze back to the window. Only to then look back at Harry, who quickly looked away, causing Draco to fix his stormy gaze elsewhere.

It was Harry who broke under the pressure of the pause, "Have a nice summer?"

"It was alright. Yours?" Draco said, shifting so that his right ankle rested on his left leg.

"It was alright…" Harry said, nodding a bit too quickly.

"You ditched the glasses?"

"Yeah…muggles have this thing called contacts…"

"Yeah. Contacts…" _You haven't said a single snide thing to him since you set eyes on him._ Draco subconsciously noted. Harry's thoughts were running along the same lines. _He hasn't said a nasty thing since he saw me… _

"I, uhm… I'm sorry about your father…" Harry said uncomfortably.

Draco shrugged, turning a pained gaze out the window, "He had it coming I suppose." He said softly, shocking the dark-haired boy across from him. "My condolences about your godfather…"

"Right, right… Sirius…" Harry murmured, astonished at the almost sympathetic words. "If you, uh, don't mind my asking, we are still enemies, aren't we?"

"I don't mind, not at all. Enemies, yes of course. Be odd if we weren't, after all." Draco said, smirking subtly at Harry.

The Gryffindor couldn't help but return a small smile before shaking himself and rising. "Well, I'll uh… be getting back to the Weasel- Weasley, I mean. I'm sure he's wondering where I've got to… Uhm…"

"Yeah, Weasley." Draco said vaguely

"Er…bye." Harry said, before darting out of the compartment. As he quickly made his way down the train he couldn't help but wonder to himself what strange warp of reality had just occurred…

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"Harry! There you are! Come on, quick! I found the book you wanted." Harry smiled slightly as his bushy-haired friend dragged him into a compartment. Ron was the only other occupant Harry assumed that Hermione had chased the others off to talk safely about their discovery.

"We were looking in the wrong places again. It was right under our noses. See here?" She held up a book with _Fur and Feelers for any Wizard _written in silver cursive across the cover and spine"Page three hundred and forty six. Chapter seventeen. It covers every step of the process!"

Harry stared at the book, wondering if years ago a younger Remus Lupin had proudly presented the very same book to his eager companions. Harry was determined to do this. At first, Hermione had been outraged that he would even attempt such a thing. But he felt like it was something he had to do. Something that would make his late Godfather proud. Hermione had made him swear on everything she could think of that he would register as soon as they were finished. After all, unregistered Animagi were illegal.

Ron grinned at the book as he took it and flipped through its pages, "I bet I'll be something cool. Like a fox. Or an eagle."

"I'll be an otter, most likely." Hermione said as she sat down beside him with a triumphant smile. "After all, that's what my patronus is, isn't it?"

"Knowing my luck, I'll be a snake or something otherwise misleading." Harry said as he flopped down across from them.

"Maybe you'll be a stag, like your father." Hermione said encouragingly

"Or a dog…" Ron said, giving his friend an odd look.

"Harry… Are you sure you don't want to wait a bit before we start trying this?" Hermione said carefully. Although Harry's temper had been remarkable controlled since the death of his godfather, they were still cautious about when his personality would swing back to what it was.

"I'm sure." Harry said shortly. An awkward silence stretched for a few minutes before Hermione began quietly explaining how they would go about the transformations.

Harry continued to stare blindly out the window as a light drizzle began to fall… _Nothing seems right anymore… I feel like I have to prove I'm alive to myself…Voldemort may still be alive… But it seems like nothing could happen to me now. Nothing could possibly happen that would be able to save me from the black hole that's formed inside my chest… Is this what it's like to grieve? Cause it feels more like I'm dieing…_

_To be continued…_

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Oh, my god. I don't know WHERE this came from…It's short, I know. But hopefully the next chapter won't be. Anyone who knows me or has read work from my previous penname Lecta might know that I have a few procrastination problems when it comes to long stories. Here's hoping that I can keep this one going!! Please review!!


	2. Change is Hard

Alright. I'm posting this 1) because I got reviews and was pleased, 2) 'cause I couldn't stand to not post it, or 3) cause I was bored and wanted to do _something _with my time.

**In the darkest hours, when the flame of light flickers and threatens to die… Who will step forth to rekindle the flame? Who will come forward and resurrect hope from the brink of insanity? Who will be there to save the savior?**

Every chapter of this story (including this one and excluding it's predecessor) will be run past my official story-checker and Beta, 'Rai. Mondo Thanko for 'Rai-chan!!

I also forget to mention that there would be implied SF/DT later on. Gomen ne!

Fred and George have returned to school at the insistence of their mother to complete their education. . 

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The thestrals had seemed to stare at the distracted Potter as he slowly ambled up to a carriage and slipped into it. As he climbed back out and approached the entrance hall, their spooky white eyes had followed his motions diligently. As he filed into the great hall, flanked by his best friends, it seemed the students were watching him also. Like the whole world knew something had changed, was different, and they were wary of this new boy in front of them. Dumbledore nodded politely to Harry when they made eye contact. Everyone else turned away and stared intently at something else.

Harry seated himself silently at the Gryffindor table, where Fred and George offered him warm smiles and friendly handshakes. Neville Longbottom sat with Ginny Weasley to the left of the twins. He smiled nervously at Harry, and turned back to the Weasley daughter. Harry seemed to be in a dream state as the sorting came and passed and the feast began. Hermione kindly added food to his plate when it seemed he had forgotten what to do. She gave him a concerned smile before turning to attend her own hunger. Harry poked at his food some, but found people around the hall to be of much more interest.

At the Hufflepuff table, girls were giggling and chattering wildly about their summers. Boys were laughing raucously and telling jokes they'd learned over the break. The Ravenclaw table was doing much the same, while a few of their students were also talking avidly over school books or summer essays. As Harry's eyes slid over the Slytherin table, his gaze snagged on the platinum-haired student who sat isolated towards one end of the table. His goons seemed not to notice, as they were staring with fascination at the boy known as Blaise near the other end of the table.

Draco was poking at his food, occasionally brushing a hand over his blonde hair. Harry noticed that the silken strands hung in his eyes alluringly, free of gel. The look suited him( and in no way resembled the atrocious chili bowl Tom Felton tortured us with in the PoA movie.) Almost as if the other boy knew he was being watched, stormy light gray eyes rose up to meet Harry's emerald gaze. They held that gaze for a moment, until Harry tore away from it. His cheeks, for some reason, burned a slight pink at being caught staring at the god-like Slytherin.

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Draco was idly shoving his food around his plate while thinking about nothing in particular. Everything around him seemed to have changed so much over the summer. He'd sent Crabbe and Goyle to follow around his best friend. Their antics had become most tiresome to him. Blaise didn't mind the obnoxious dunder-headed duo.

As Draco contemplated the sudden turn in his life and personality, he felt warmth spread across him. As if someone were watching him. He looked up from his plate and locked eyes with none other than Golden-Boy-Potter. He almost immediately felt silly and childish for the name that a year ago sounded clever and derisive. Yes, the Potter boy had changed over the summer as well. He'd grown up, become less the tempered teen and more a brooding adult. Potter was unusually quiet, his friends chatting between themselves rather than trying to include him in their conversation. What changes had occurred in Draco's long-time rival?

As Harry looked away, Draco thought about how they'd come to be rivals in the first place. Draco's gaze fell back to his plate. It had started all those years ago, in first year when Harry had rejected Draco's friendship. They would have made magnificent allies. A pair to be reckoned with. But Harry's rejection had blown this idea out of the water. The cruel accusation in Harry's eyes all those years ago had stung Draco's pride. Had made him burningly jealous of the celebrated young Gryffindor. Now that he thought about it, Draco supposed he had been a bit of an ass when he'd offered his hand to the young wizard. _A bit…_He chuckled to himself.

In the years that followed, he'd done everything in his power to make Harry Potter's life miserable. Year after year, Harry was the poor, tragic hero. And year after year, Draco was the spoiled rival that was constantly shoved back into the shadows. And then, in fifth year, there was a battle in the Ministry of Magic. Draco's father was arrested as a Death Eater and imprisoned. Harry's godfather fell through the veil of death. They'd both changed that summer. For better or worse was undetermined, but they most certainly had changed.

Malfoy Manor had become a quiet place. A lifeless place. It's immaculate cleanliness, which without the house elves in the manor would probably have given way to dust and grime, seemed no longer a badge of good breeding and class. It was now a painful reminder of a past that now seemed dark and dismal. It had taken Draco's mother weeks to finally come out of her room. And weeks more to remember how to speak without a trembling fragileness shattering her voice. It seemed to Draco that the worlds axis had been tilted, and everything was now different and off-kilter.

With an audible sigh and a fierce frown, Draco shoved his plate away and stood. Nobody cast him a second glance as he quietly stalked out of the great hall. Nobody except an green-eyed Gryffindor who quickly stood to follow.

-------------(I know I'm rambling a lot about how different things are, but it's to truly emphasize the way everything has changed over the summer. Don't worry, real story is on the way.)

He didn't know what made him rise and follow as Draco Malfoy exited the hall, but whatever it was he didn't question it as he left his friends gazing questioningly at his retreating back. He jogged quickly as he passed through the doors, trying to catch up with his former nemesis. _Former…? _His mind questioned distantly.

"Draco!! Draco, wait." He called softly. The other boy stopped and turned a questioning glare on him. He found himself fighting not to squirm under the scrutiny. "Urm, I uh… May I walk with you?"

Draco shrugged. "I was on my way up to the astronomy tower." He said before turning and continuing to walk. Harry quickly fell into step beside him.

"It's been a long summer, hasn't it?" He said, almost conversationally, "Feels like a lifetime has passed. I almost don't know what to do with myself."

Draco nodded silently. He gave no signs of speaking, so Harry barreled onwards. "What courses are you taking this year? I managed to pull an O in all my basic classes. I've dropped Divination, though. Seems a rather useless class to me. I've gone on to the N.E.W.T. level DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions. I also kept Astronomy and signed on for Muggle Studies… How about you?"

"I opted for Ancient Runes rather than Divination." Draco said, not to Harry's surprise. But what he murmured after that _did _throw Harry for a loop, "Mother wouldn't let me take Muggle Studies. I must have asked a hundred times."

"You actually _want _to take the class?" Harry asked, unable to hide a bit of the surprise.

"Yes." Draco said curtly, swiping a hand through his hair, "After all, a good wizard shouldn't be completely ignorant to muggles. My father took muggle studies. Though I suspect it couldn't have been willingly."

Harry let it go without comment. He didn't really know what to say about Draco's father. Harry wasn't in the least bit sorry that Lucius Malfoy was in prison, but he did feel bad that Draco was now fatherless. He knew the feeling. "Well, it'll be an interesting year I hope."

"They usually are." Draco said slyly, "After all _you're _always getting into one form of trouble or another."

Harry grinned and in his defense said, "Not that it's my fault! I'm like a walking magnet for all things against the rules! Look at my friends!"

Draco snorted, "Granger couldn't get herself into trouble if her life depended on it. Let's face it Potter, you're a class A trouble-maker. With a capital 'T'."

They chuckled quietly, continuing their friendly banter all the way to the tallest tower of the castle. As they ascended the stairs, they fell back into quiet conversation. And as they at last stood out in the cool night air, with the stars glinting brightly above them they fell completely silent. It was clear once more, all traces of the earlier rain had vanished. The fingernail moon shined unobstructed above them.

"It's nice out here. There are no city lights to outshine the stars." Draco said softly, leaning against the cool stone of the guard wall. "You can see every single star shining in all it's heavenly glory."

Harry nodded as he came to stand beside his companion. "I've never really looked at them much before just to look at them… But they really are beautiful."

"Look there. The constellation Orion." Draco said, tracing a finger across the air. "I can name all the stars in the constellation."

Harry watched his finger closely as it made its track from star to star. "Bellatrix and Sirius are a part of that constellation…"

Draco turned to Harry, watching closely as those emerald fires seemed to dim and lose focus. "You miss him a lot." He observed. Harry turned to meet Draco's probing gaze. "You must hate her. Black was the only family you had left, wasn't he? If it's worth anything, I'm sorry it had to end up this way."

Harry looked at him. "It's worth a lot to me." Was all he said before turning to silently gaze at the heavenly bodies above them. A sudden streak of light arced across the sky and Harry couldn't squelch the excitement. "A shooting star. Make a wish!"

They both closed their eyes. With all their hearts and wills they wished. _I wish for change… I wish for change…_ They stayed like that, side-by-side with their eyes tightly shut for several moments. And then they both turned and looked at the other.

After a long while, Harry broke the silence. "Hey… 'Mione found a book for me with a section in it about Animagi… We were thinking about constructing a potion we found in it. One that, incase we can't master animal forms on our own, should in effect do all the work for us… And, I uh, well I'm not sure if we can do it just the three of us… Would you, maybe… consider… I don't know, helping?"

Draco sat quietly for a long moment, watching carefully the hopeful flicker in Harry's eyes as if searching for deceit. He smirked when at last he was satisfied and said, "I suppose there's no harm in it. After all, it's bound to be interesting with the three or you working on it."

Harry grinned with a sudden joy he hadn't felt all summer. It seemed all their years of rivalry were just a dream. A breeze caressed the air around them, and Harry mused that it could be called a 'wind of change.' He and Draco sat at the top of the tower for several long hours, talking quietly and laughing about fights that years ago had seemed anything but funny. Harry even managed to get Draco to chuckle about being the 'amazing bouncing ferret' in fourth year. Neither of them were keeping track of time as they talked, but eventually they both felt their minds drifting and their eyelids drooping. They parted ways at the base of the tower, both with a sudden lightness burning in their chests.

_I hope this is change…_

---------------

"WHAT?!?!?! Malfoy?!?! THE PRINCE OF BLOODY SLYTHERIN?!" Hermione was speechless after learning that Harry had not only spent most of the night talking to his greatest rival, but had invited him to help them illegally become underage Animagi. Ron, however, was not so blissfully quiet.

"Come off it, Ron! It's not that big a deal! We've worked out our differences? What's so wrong with that?" Harry said defensively, scowling as his happy little bubble was shattered into a million furious pieces. "I thought you'd be PLEASED that we don't have to fight with him anymore!"

"Are you DAFT?!?! Have you forgotten all the torment he put us through??? Have you forgotten what he calls HERMIONE every chance he gets?!" Ron was in total disbelief that Draco could be anything but the spawn of Satan. "He's a spoiled, rotten GIT! He's probably out there laughing right now at what a FOOL you're being for thinking otherwise!"

"Ron!" Hermione scolded as she at last found her voice, "Would you at least let Harry explain himself before you go off your rocker?" She turned her steady gaze to Harry, scowling expectantly, "_Explain, _Harry."

He huffed and glared at the both of him. "He's different! You _had _to have noticed. Just look at how he was at dinner! And when I talked to him on the train-"

"How long have you been FRATERNIZING with the enemy Harry?!?! ON THE TRAIN?!?!?!?!" Ron cried accusingly, tugging at his flaming hair.

"-on the train, he was like a completely different person! He hasn't done anything worth suspicion yet."

"YET!" Ron put in.

"At LEAST we could give him a chance! He even… he even said he understands about Sirius." Harry added the last part quietly, averting his gaze. He hadn't talked much to his friends about the death of his godfather.

"Oh, Harry…" Hermione said softly, resting her hand gently on his arm, "You can't let his death get to you like this. This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. The son of a death eater… his mother's sister killed Sirius. Think about that."

Harry shook with a sudden rage. "But at least he understands." He said deliberately. "And he's not his father. He's not his mother. And he is NOT Bellatrix LeStrange. At least he knows SOMETHING about what I'm feeling!! Not like the two of _YOU._ You don't have a bloody CLUE who I am anymore, do you?!"

Harry's sudden anger left Hermione and Ron taken aback. "Harry… It's not like that, mate…" Ron began, "All we meant was that-"

"I don't give a damn what you meant!" Harry barked. He then turned and darted up the stairs and slammed the dormitory door behind him. Seamus, Dean and Neville woke and stared curiously at him, but said nothing as the angry boy flopped on his bed and ferociously slid the curtains closed. He lie awake in bed long after Neville's soft snores filled the air and Ron came creeping into bed. It was, in fact, nearing dawn when he finally shut his eyes to rest. His sleep was filled with anger and fear, nightmares of veils and fire and earthquakes. As he bolted upright in bed, sweat gleaming on his forehead, he even thought he heard a high, cold laugh echoing in his ears.

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Harry left for breakfast long before the rest of Gryffindor became awake and active. His mind was full of cogitations concerning Draco and his friends' reactions. Were they right? Were they wrong? Could he really risk alienating his best friends of over five years for Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin who had tormented him since first year? He remembered standing up on the tower, wishing for something to change. Something to give way and show him a different path. He wondered if maybe he could find change in befriending Draco. As Hermione and Ron sat down on either side of him, not saying a word as their schedules were passed to them, he found himself wondering if maybe he didn't want to be The-Boy-Who-Lived at all anymore. He was drowning in his depression and these unanswerable questions even as he silently made the trek to his first class.

The day was both long and short for Harry. After he finally escaped from Defense Against the Dark Arts, which was now being taught by a pair of strange blue-haired female, he retreated to the deserted astronomy tower to reflect. He hadn't spoken to Draco the entire day. Nor had he spoken with Ron or Hermione. His mind was in a state of confusion. On one hand, his friends had a point on the subject of Draco's torment. On the other hand, Harry truly wanted to believe that Draco had changed and could be his friend. He desperately needed _something _to convince him that he was alive. That he wasn't alone… As he thought it he looked down at his arm, where thin white lines traced across the soft underside of his forearm. He pulled out his wand and drew the tip across the skin on his wrist, muttering _incidere _as he did so. A thin line of blood flowed forth from the fresh cut and trickled down his arm. For every tear that rolled down his cheeks, Harry repeated this process. Until his head felt light and he had no more tears to cry.

_To be continued…_

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Omg, I had issues with this chapter. I kept wanting to end it, but I didn't WANT to end it, but I was running out of legitimate things to type… . Please review, I'm sorry if it sucks. 

Rai: No you're na…. Silly fish head, ending's for losers!

_Incidere- cut into._


	3. I Like the Difference, I Like the Danger

**In the darkest hours, when the flame of light flickers and threatens to die… Who will step forth to rekindle the flame? Who will come forward and resurrect hope from the brink of insanity? Who will be there to save the savior?**

Okays, chappie three. Woot woot! Hopefully the story will pick up from here? No more references to change, if I can help it. Blagh, this story sucks. It's making me feel icky. The following chapter will have some dark themes, sexual themes, and a not so happy boy-who-lived (not that he was happy in the last chapter. . ) Draco and Harry go to a club in this one! W00t! . Please R&R. Cuz, sadly. 'Rai is my first, second and ONLY reviewer… God I feel loved…

Rai: I wuv youuuuuu I really really doooooooooooooooo

Chapter three is not for children. -.- Sexual devices and revealing clothes will be extensively spoken of.

I heart my BETA!!

* * *

The first week of school passed without anything interesting happening. Dumbledore announced that the first Hogsmeade weekend would be the second weekend of school, but the sixth years and seventh years were permitted to come and go any weekend at their discretion so long as the trips didn't interfere with schoolwork. It was Friday and Harry was anxious to go. He was headed for his final class, double DADA with the Slytherins. As he entered the classroom, Hogsmeade became a distant thought.

The room was dim, the windows completely black and the only light coming from several candles arranged around the room. All the desks were gone and the floor was covered with a thin, yet soft sort of mat. One of their teachers, they could never tell which was which, motioned for them all to sit. Her sister was nowhere to be seen. The confused sixth years slowly sat in two small groups near the front of the room. Whispers spread amongst the student. All of them jumped, and some of the girls even exclaimed and screamed in surprise, as the door suddenly slammed shut. The second instructor strode towards them to stand beside her sister.

"Who here can truthfully claim to be able to defeat an enemy in the dark?" Professor One (the students had called them One and Two, as none of them could recollect their true names or match them with their proper owners) asked softly. Her voice was low and carried well throughout the room.

"Or in a mist…?" Her twin murmured. A slight fog curled around the seated students.

"The Dark Arts do not deal with fairness. You will not always be facing an enemy or creature in the light of day. Who can tell me the first thing you should do when faced with an unknown creature in the dark?"

Several tentative hands were raised; Hermione's among them. A Slytherin girl was selected to answer, "Y-you should… use _lumos_, the lighting spell…?"

"That is incorrect." Snapped the second woman. "If you do not know what this creature is, whether it is friend or foe, human or not, you should most certainly _not _draw attention to yourself without first knowing if it means you harm."

"Let us hypothesize that you are in the Forbidden Forest, after dark. There's not a spec of light to see by and suddenly you come upon a creature…" The rest of the lesson consisted of hypothetical situations. The candles were later blown out and the second half of the period was spent stalking and defending themselves in the dark. Towards the end of the period, it became a game.

They were giggling and laughing, slinking around in the dark and leaping out at each other. Harry caught a glimmer of silver and grinned to himself, sliding forward through the shadows towards Draco. Harry murmured _incarcerous _and laughed softly as Draco cursed and fell forward, bound head to toe with thick rope. Harry crouched beside him and smirked triumphantly.

"Looks like I got the better of you Malfoy," He whispered so as not to attract the attention of other students seeking to capture someone.

"Ha. Lucky shot, Potter. My back was turned." Draco retorted, but his eyes betrayed his amusement. "Let me go so I can get you back…"

Harry was disappointed when the bell rang and the lights flared to life, ending his and Draco's game. But his smile returned as Draco asked if he'd go to Hogsmeade with him. The two of them chatted between themselves as they stopped by both Gryffindor tower and the dungeons to deposit their books before making their way out of the castle and down to Hogsmeade. They fell into a companionable silence as they browsed through Hogsmeade. They stopped for a butterbeer or two and Harry was introduced to Blaise Zabini, a quick-witted Slytherin with an ever-ready smile. Zabini didn't say a word about Harry being a Gryffindor. He smiled broadly, shook his hand, and quickly started up a passionate discussion about Quidditch. Three butterbeers into the evening they parted ways with Blaise and visited all the shops. Harry's pocket was considerably lighter as they finally made their way out of Zonko's, laughing loudly at a misfortunate first year who'd been given one of the twins' Canary creams.

"This way, I want to visit one more place before we head back…" Draco said as he dragged Harry off down an ally. "You'll like this place. I know you will." He said, a gleam in his eyes.

"But, wha-" Harry's question dissolved on his tongue as they slipped into a black-windowed shop to their right. The store looked like it should be advertised in one of Dudley's old porn magazines. There wasn't a single article of clothing Harry could see that didn't have holes, spikes, or straps on it. There were several harness-looking things that he didn't even BEGIN to question. "Draco, what _is _this place?"

Draco just smiled evilly and beckoned him past several questionable instruments. "A close friend of mine owns the place. I think you'll like her. She'll know exactly what to do with you."

"What…to do…with me?" Harry felt a sudden cold fear curl in his stomach

"Don't worry, it won't be _painful _per se… It could even be fun!" Draco's words weren't encouraging as they approached the counter. A large black cat was perched upon it; it's green-tipped ears and tail flicking slowly. Harry peered through the glass countertop and blushed as he was greeted with a variety of what looked like novelty condoms of every make.

"Draco…should I ASK how you found this place…?" Harry said, nervously edging closer to the beaming Slytherin. That was sign number two that he was in trouble, one being the items contained in the shop.

"I told you, a close friend of mine-"

"DRACONIS MALFOY WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!" Harry nearly jumped from his own skin as the loud cry echoed from behind the counter. He turned, trying to calm his pounding heart, as a young girl with neon green hair and more metal than cloth on her body came striding towards them. Heavy, dangerous-looking combat boots made loud clomping sounds as she approached. Harry did the only thing he could think to do. He hid behind Draco.

"Come, now, Elizabeth. You can't really expect me to come party with you right after my father is imprisoned, can you?" Draco tried carefully

"Ha! I know better than that, you little scoundrel!" She said as she embraced the much shorter boy. "You haven't been in here for months! I haven't seen you since last Christmas! Have you been seeing someone behind my back?"

Draco laughed as he pulled away from her. Harry, however, was glaring at the young woman, whom for some reason he found highly offensive. He scooted even closer to Draco, glaring at the offensive female from behind his companion.

"Ah, how rude of me. 'Lizabeth, this is Harry. Harry, Elizabeth. I was hoping you pull something together for Harry here. He's new to the scene." Draco smirked, though Harry couldn't see it.

The green-haired walking scrap heap turned her electric eyes to him. Her pupils were slit like a cats and they dilated with excitement, as she looked him up and down, pulling him out from behind his attractive shield. "A new one… Oh, I do _so _like the new ones. This one won't be hard to work with. My god! Look at those eyes… Body doesn't look too bad, slap on some leather and chains and he'll be drop-dead gorgeous. I'm sure an eyebrow ring or two wouldn't hurt, either…"

"WHAT?!?! No thanks, I like my eyebrows the way they are!!" Harry said, stepping away from the frightening Elizabeth.

She frowned, "Earrings then. Lots of them. No arguing. BUT! Our first order of business is a new name for you! Harry simply _will _not do." Harry found himself liking this woman less and less. "How about…-"

"Jamie." Draco said, sliding his arms around Harry's waist and resting his chin on Harry's shoulder, "His middle names is James. So we can call him Jamie."

"I suppose it will suffice. Now, then… Draco, would you please go grab some fishnet for me? I think… Red to bring out his eyes. Blue and green for highlight effect. Leather trousers… He looks like… A five-ish? Lots of chains… Not shiny, though. No, shiny pants will steal from the effect…" She went on and on, describing to Draco what seemed like an entire wardrobe that progressively became more and more kinky.

Harry's heart did a somersault as Draco nodded and disappeared. He was alone. With the crazy woman who's hair looked like electrified snot. Merlin save his soul! "Now, for those earrings…" On second though, Merlin wouldn't quite stand up to this one…

--------------

"There now! A masterpiece!" Elizabeth exclaimed as the young black-haired teen stepped out of a dressing room. His face, he thought, would never lose the blush that was burning across his cheeks. Draco applauded.

His ears hurt, his pants were far too tight, and the air was cold on his exposed upper-body. There were six new holes in his left ear, two in his right. Tight leather pants with more holes and chains than he knew what to do with clung to his legs. The devilish duo had nicked his boxers from him, and the leather pressed warm and uncomfortable against his bare crotch. His torso was protected only by two layers of long-sleeve fishnet shirt with large chunks missing from their fabric. His eyes were lined with thick kohl that made him want to rub them. His hair, which had grown quite long over the summer, was trimmed and restrained by a glow-in-the-dark ponytail holder. He self-consciously rubbed his scar and tried to shield himself from view as the other two examined him.

"Perfect! I'll take everything. Would you mind putting his stuff in back with mine? I don't think he'd make it very far with all of that without suspicious questions. Well, that settles it! Harry, you go get all that off, I'll be waiting out here for you." Draco turned Harry round and shoved him back into the dressing room.

Thirty minutes later a kohl-free, loose-haired Harry was gratefully waving goodbye to the peculiar shop. Within the hour the two boys were laughing their way towards the castle. As they entered the great hall, Draco was teasing Harry about a particularly risqué device that Harry had had the misfortune to question.

They didn't notice any of the odd stares cast their way as they parted ways and sat at their respective tables, pilling their plates high with food. Not even Hermione's curiosity and Ron's angry accusations could wipe the smile from Harry's face.

--------(Oh my god. This isn't really a shift in the story, but… it's one thirty and I just finished the most AMAZING SessKag inuyasha fic. It's called Triple Threat by Irulanna. Anyone who likes that pairing, it is a must read. It may not be the best fic in the whole wide world, but the tear-jerking ending totally has me convinced!!!)

Dinner was uneventful, but Harry's spirits were high above the enchanted ceiling. As he thought about it, not to hard though as he didn't want to ruin the pleasant mood, he questioned what had truly put him so high up. His ears hurt, his arch rival (former, of course) had spent what had to have been a hefty amount of galleons on clothing that Harry never would have worn in public, his friends were slowly slipping away from him, and his arms were covered from wrist to elbow in healing scabs. Yet, for some reason, warm gray eyes kept filling his mind and spreading a pleasant contendendness throughout his body.

Harry's contemplation was broken as a little paper bird flapped in front of his face, settling on his palm as Harry lifted his hand. He turned and locked eyes with his Slytherin friend before turning around and unfolding the flapping parchment.

_ Jamie,_

_ Meet me. Ten 'o clock. The room you used for the DA last year. Wear your cloak, we can't afford any more trouble than usual. Maybe we can get a jump on that potion you talked about…_

_-Your Dragon._

"My Dragon…" Harry repeated aloud, pocketing the parchment. "My Dragon…" An odd smile stretched across his face as he quickly finished his plate and darted out of the great hall. _That's right, _MY _Dragon…_

_To be continued…_

* * *

I didn't want to end it here… But I'm anxious to get this chapter up… It sucks, I know that! But… I'm enjoying writing it. Things are moving fast, but that's how it's supposed to be. Don't worry, there's plenty of drama and angst and evil left in store later. Ah, well. Maybe if Rai asks nicely the next chap will be uber-long. Cha, as if. She's got it bad enough reading THIS much of the horrid story… 


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